tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8070355695530434450.post3737315935983131007..comments2024-03-14T04:16:20.472-07:00Comments on In Socrates' Wake: How can you have a university without a philosophy department?Michael Cholbihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02012523929044363216noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8070355695530434450.post-5680821119795871752011-04-11T04:33:12.856-07:002011-04-11T04:33:12.856-07:00Fayetteville State University, where I've taug...Fayetteville State University, where I've taught (largely Critical Thinking classes) for the last three years has never had a Philosophy department, and probably never will.<br /><br />That means that we've been trapped in the vicious cycle of not being able to get enrollment -- and when we have enrollment, it's very difficult to get the students to put in the work they would for a "real" class (i.e. one in a department) -- for classes, and since we've got low enrollment, there's no "student interest" justifying a program.<br /><br />So, I threw myself into interdisciplinary work, working to infuse Critical Thinking and Ethics (FSU also has no Ethics course in the Core!) into other areas of the curriculum. <br /><br />Here's some examples of what you can do if you're a philosopher stuck in an institution that does not see the need for a philosophy program<br /><br />A sum-up from last semester of our use of the CLA to promote CT: http://gbsadler.blogspot.com/2010/09/cla-at-fsu-model-for-incorporation.html<br /><br />Our current QEP, which features CT and the CLA as central for the entire institution: http://www.uncfsu.edu/qep/index.htm<br /><br />A bit on the Ethics in Business Education project at FSU: http://gbsadler.blogspot.com/2010/11/crossing-tracks-ethics-in-business.html<br /><br />and: http://gbsadler.blogspot.com/2011/03/lessons-from-ebep-workshop-part-1-of-2.html <br /><br />I think that this sort of work has its merit, and not having a program might actually in some respects be a spur towards it -- though other conditions are required as wellGregory B. Sadlerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02197307174003462308noreply@blogger.com